


A Goblin's Plea for Equality

by Maruka_Mirza



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Creatures, Equality, Gen, Revolution, wand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:58:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23837209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maruka_Mirza/pseuds/Maruka_Mirza
Summary: Hitherto wand holders have constantly made up for themselves false conceptions about non-wand holders, about what they are and what they ought to be. Let us liberate them from their creations; let us revolt against their conceptions.There was a promise that things have changed; that the new order has made us equal, that Magic is no longer might. History has been written far too long by wand holders. Magic might no longer be might, but wand still is.The only hope we have is change. May this statement raise uproar! A radical Productionist change is a necessity to found our societies anew.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	A Goblin's Plea for Equality

**A Goblin’s Plea for Equality**

**Volume I**

_Critique of Idea-centrism according to its representatives Mrs. Creswell, Mrs. Granger and Mr. Potter, and of_ _Protectionism_ _according to their representatives Mr. Goldstein and Miss. Bones_

**Preface**

There was a promise that things have changed; that the new order has made us equal, that Magic is no longer might. History has been written far too long by wand holders. Magic might no longer be might, but wand still is. 

Hitherto wand holders have constantly made up for themselves false conceptions about non-wand holders, about what they are and what they ought to be. Let us liberate them from their creations; let us revolt against their conceptions.

No doubt the majority of the wizarding community has felt the change, and perhaps sees my plea as agitation. They have felt the change because they are the ruling body. Contrary to what they claim, _they_ , and not all of us, are the true winners of the new regime.

**The illusions of Idea-centrists**

Once upon a time a valiant warlock had the idea that Dementors can be fought by concentration on happiness. He argued that we can fight Dementors if we rid ourselves of fear; he performed the perfect charm to disperse Dementors. What he did not take into account was that some of us don’t have wands. This valiant warlock was the type of Idea-centrists today. 

I have no doubt about the good intentions of honorable Mrs. Granger and have my utmost respect for her, but it is clear to me that her recent attempt on _Goblin Rights_ stems from her wizarding position and the beliefs our society has regarded as truth for almost twenty years. She says let us liberate ourselves from the rule of old dogma, let us teach our communities to exchange new thoughts with old ones. We are told that change is slow as Flobberworm and we need to be patient and constantly educate our societies for the old dogma to wither; she says, the war between love and evil is never ending and as long as we live we have to choose the right path. Thus preaches honorable Mrs. Granger and thus believed the first and, to an extent, the second ministries of magic after the fall of the Dark Lord. 

_All is well,_ declares distinguished Mr. Potter from his position; but has he bothered to ask elves, goblins, banshees, centaurs, vampires, werewolves, and other intelligent magical creatures whether all is well? 

This, precisely, is the reason our ruling wizarding community fails to explain why after 20 years we are yet to see an issue of Daily Prophet without headlines about dark wizards killing aurors, neo-Creaturists lynching half-humans, muggle born harassments, goblin killings, et cetera. It is said that _Ideas_ should change and crime will vanish. Which group of ideas and how many of us should change our minds is not defined. 

And should it be a surprise that none of the Dumbledore-like heralds of equality can answer the most important Creaturist, nay the only Creaturist, question: why haven’t the newly freed minorities, i.e. non humans, improved if we are to believe all creatures are equal? 

In this essay I seek to challenge the hitherto commentators of equality, i.e. the Idea-centrists and Protectionists, and show that the most destructive force to equality and fairness is not the Creaturism beliefs of the likes of Death Eaters, but the Idea-centricity that holds true the not-challenged instructions of Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, previous supreme mugwump of the international confederation of wizards and chief warlock of wizengamot, and instead of tangible change demands change only in the realm of mind. 

**  
** **Outlines of Idea-centrism**

The believers of Professor Dumbledore criticize every opposition by pronouncing it either Creaturist and dark or radical. Honorable Mrs. Granger and young Mrs. Creswell (the author of _The False Principles of Education)_ , or in other words the renowned old and new believers of Albus Dumbledore, are in agreement in the rule of ideas and concepts in our lives. The only difference between the two groups is _which_ illusions and false notions to fight against, and _which_ comme il faut to preach. These Idea-centrists draw a line and ask everyone in society to stand on the right side of that line. One can easily say that these believers are combating with “lines” rather than with the existing world. Their motto is constant vigilance for hate. Like those blind to thestral, they only see meat getting eaten and not the thestral eating it.

The Idea-centrists explain to us that the big wizarding wars of the past hundred years were the result of conflicting ideas (good versus evil), and the rise and fall of the Dark Lord has shown the calamity of dark magic, and that war has put an end to malicious and tempting thoughts. They claim that the changes of the past twenty years are the result of pure thought; that the then marginalized are the winners and benefactors of the new order and the world is ours to take. We, the still marginalized, must have not heard the starting whistle of this Quidditch match! 

I repeat again. No doubt the majority of the wizarding community have felt the change, and perhaps sees my plea as agitation. They have felt the change because they are the ruling body. Contrary to what they claim, _they_ , and not all of us, are the true winners of the new regime. 

The promises given to us, the rest of the society, are hollow. They are empty because they rely on the charity of wizards. What happens when the next minister of magic does not want to respect the _line_ drawn by honorable Mrs. Granger? 

We know the answer of the Idea-centrists: the war between good and evil is never ending and we must make people see the right line through the clouds of Peruvian darkness powder.

What if we don’t want never ending wars? What if we want to change the structures that breed never ending wars? 

**Outlines of** **Protectionism**

The success of the last wizarding war and the position of distinguished Mr. Harry Potter cast a shadow over alternative narratives. Our ears are apt and tuned to hear _good_ versus _evil_. We seek reassurance of our righteousness in the Daily Prophet.

It’s hard to see the bigger picture and admit our own role in the evils of the world. But does this mean that every wizard has been either Idea-centrist or Creaturist?

There are alternative voices, which have been hushed under the binary narrative of Idea-centrism versus Creaturism. The most prominent of these voices, despite their stark differences, are referred to as the Protectionists by the Daily Profit. 

I do not agree with the conclusions of the Protectionists, but I see them important and closer to reality than the mystifications of Idea-centrists. 

The most important publication in recent years on the affairs of society is that of Professor Goldstein’s, written under close supervision of professor Flitwick. Professor Goldstein argues that while division of magic is the most qualitative force behind our society’s sustainability and means of living, its correspondence with division of creatures has led to corruption and degeneration of the great body of society. 

He argues nonetheless that progress is desirable, unstoppable and inevitable and, hence, this division should continue. “As humans are at the top of this pillar and house elves at the bottom, it is unavoidable that uneducated wizards should feel superior… Especially because wizards [see themselves] less dependent on other creatures. The Ministry should provide education for wizards and ask them to take an active role in protecting other creatures. Nurturing often softens one’s position” _(1)_. Professor Goldstein’s feeble and shocking conclusions, derived from those solid premises are because of his status as a wizard. If Professor Goldstein bothered to ask a goblin about his status in this pyramid of success, he might have concluded differently. 

The second most important text in recent years is Susan Bones’ fantastic diary called “Six Years in Andes”. Madam Bones followed a group of goblins from Manchester to a village in Andes. The idea was to form an equal and horizontal society in which “a wand won in the last wizarding war” _(2)_ could be used for common elementary needs. She explains that “in theory, each morning one of the denizens of the village should have performed a duplication charm to duplicate the food items that were provided by others… [In practice] however, only Maruka _(3)_ [the youngest Goblin] learned to successfully use the wand…” _(4)_ She explains how the whole project slowly collapsed because Maruka became the wand holder (and exempt from other work) while other goblins had to take up the other taxing tasks of the society. Miss Bones is a good Metazologist and refuses to compare the Andes society to our “much more complex society” _(5)_. 

She is a dear friend of mine and we spend many afternoons together. But unfortunately because of her own indecisiveness, many a Protectionist use her work for their own goals. They point out that regardless of creature, there are two types of individuals: those who need to rise above and protect and those who need to remain the same and be protected. This division and its subsequences are the motor of history, they say.

I marvel at such conclusions. It is but a step away from Creaturism. Nonetheless, I take the liberty to conclude what the Protectionists refuse to conclude: that the division of magic and its correspondence with division of creatures (i.e. upholding old structures) in our new society is and always will be the root of inequality and evil. 

**The hitherto historians**

History has been written far too long by wand holders and longer by a specific group of wand holders. How can an elf write her own history when school is not mandatory for her? How can she study alongside wizards without being allowed a wand? Wars have been fought so only wizards can hold wands. Answering these questions highlights the wrong premises of hitherto historians, i.e. the Idea-centrists and Protectionists. 

We all have heard neo-Creaturists say that the virtuous and esteemed free house-elf Dobby was an exception, and exceptions don’t make the rule. Wizards are superior to elves as is obvious in the stature and condition of both races today, they reason. We also heard the Idea-centrists, like the minister of Magic, honorable Mrs. Granger say that the aforementioned elf is a great example that elves can change their condition if humans and elves change their minds. 

Unfortunately, the degeneration and deterioration of magical creatures is not imaginary. The division of magic and its correspondence with division of creatures is at work here. We cannot deny that; nor can we deny the want of minorities to better their condition. Idea-centrists deny the former and Protectionists the latter. Denying that there is no degeneration or believing in inherent inferiority of some creatures/individuals are two sides of the same coin. These lines of thought both make us, the minorities, more misunderstood and our struggles more futile.

Indeed, some call these struggles evil without blinking an eye. We read history from the point of view of the victor and, hence, call the defeated: evil wizards, rebel goblins, or mutineer werewolves. We are not ready to accept that, if Merlin forbid, the Dark Lord had won the last war, history would have called honorable Mr. Potter and his cause evil. 

The ruling body labels and we follow. We are blinded by the coming and going of wizards in the Ministry and don’t see the structure and causes that crush us. We prefer to blame the evil, weakness and horror within for the folly in the world.

With whom do the hitherto historians actually empathize? The answer is irrefutably with the victor. Those who currently rule are the heirs of all those who have ever been victorious: wand holders. 

This evil calling, which is no longer only a Ministry apparatus, has harmed any fruitful discussion and hushed other voices in the society and radicalized them. Here I am talking about the deserters who recently joined the Voivode of Slovenia. These goblins and werewolves were labeled and blamed for either their evil selves or evil nature of their species. These are the only narratives allowed. We have witnessed an increase in the number of “freed minorities” who have joined this madman of Slovenia, and yet the Ministry still preaches the old good and evil doctrine. It is time to let the hushed narratives be heard. There must be other reasons for this rebellion.

[It is very true that honorable Mrs. Granger and her believers in the Ministry have kept peace and stability. It is but a very superficial stability. Although stepping outside my expertise, I believe that the only reason there have been no mass objections within the Ministry to the “Equality” act produced by honorable Mrs. Granger, or declaration of war by the Voivode, is that the Boy Who Lived and those who fought in the second wizarding war are still alive. There is so much mystery around the Dark Lord’s disappearance that creatures around the world are rather afraid of honorable Mr. Potter...]

The Idea-centrists are addicted to evil seeking and the Protectionists are afraid to share power with other creatures. I invite them to seek the evil outside the person or their species and in something more material.

**Volume II**

_Productionism: a third reading of history and its motors: A new narrative: Productionist view_

**The food we eat**

Who provides the food we eat? Any wizard familiar with the exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration Wand knows that food cannot be delivered from nothing. In other words, as those Goblins in Andes had realized very early on, food is a product of non-magic work. Susan Bones gives a heartbreaking account on this fact in her great book.

Historically we, that is the magical creatures, have distanced ourselves from non-magic work and see such work trivial. So, where do we get the ingredients for a delicious Abbott soup? 

Who farms the fields, plants trees, raises herds, builds factories, and, in short, does the non-magic work? Can it be the elves? Or perhaps is it the goblins? The answer is so obvious that it is almost hidden: muggles have been our hidden and free food providers. Our societies have functioned on this free work since the time of International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. We have eaten without paying a single Knut to bakers, butchers, farmers, gardeners, fishers, et cetera. In short, muggles are the producers and we are the consumers. It was not always so. During much of the written history we contributed to muggle societies in return.

We still live within the muggle societies. Why? No doubt, the reason we are living next to them is survival. We cannot help but steal, and just like Nifflers we feel entitled to what we steal. Magical creatures benefit at the expense of muggles. We do that, but most of us don’t see the thieving. 

Because of the wizarding secrecy, we are not allowed to use magic in muggle presence. However, most of us who live in the villages and close to farms and gardens, don’t bother paying attention to that law. Wizards, goblins, and elves get their food alike in villages: we steal directly from the muggles. We don’t want to call it stealing, but it is so because we don’t ask permission to retract food. 

What about city folks? No longer are those of us living in cities involved in stealing, summoning or duplicating food directly. There are a handful of wizards who sell and distribute food in the cities. They go to Muggle markets and “buy” herbs, vegetables, fruit, spices, meat, and dairy products and distribute them to other wizards who duplicate the products and deliver and distribute them to magical markets (run mainly by squibs or more “inferior” creatures) or food delivery elves. 

**Unrepresented creatures**

We are indifferent thieves. Before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, magical creatures could feel their co-dependency on muggles. But thanks to the Statute and fast system of food distribution, our connection is veiled behind the curtains. We have grown so accustomed to it that we don't see the one sidedness of our relation to muggles.

Because of this systemic thieving we have time and energy to focus solely on magic work. And this condition has made our social lives so different from muggles’ that we need a subject called the muggle studies in our schools to understand them. 

What is muggle studies? It has always been a top down approach on muggle societies. This condescending approach was more obvious in the Carrow period (1997-1998). We look at muggles as something either exotic or dumb; a domestic pet or parasite; something to sweeten our evening or something to disdain. We generalize and think muggles live in homogenous societies that, depending on our relation to the subject, are run by _fascinating_ or _dull_ ideas _._

The reason for this dichotomy is because of the way we study and observe our own societies. We live in a period that cannot explain itself. Our explanatory method is the history of ideas and we use the same device to describe muggles and their relation to us. And since they were not sorted by a hat, we call them Good or Evil according to which side of the line that the Ministry has drawn they end up on.

And hence, we cannot know their _purpose_. “Best of them give birth to wizards occasionally.” We see ourselves superior because we don’t see how we are connected to and influenced by the muggle societies. 

By secretly stealing food, we accept that muggles should remain our free laborers. We refuse to be grateful for what we receive from them. Is it a surprise that we see them as inferior creatures without purpose? We have successfully created a group of people that has no representative in our Ministry. We do not better ourselves by not taking responsibility. We need to start thinking of better ways to connect with muggles than to dominate, kill or ignore them.

**Underrepresented creatures**

If I wanted to make that delicious Abbott soup and invite my cousin Gornak for a festive evening, I should pay two Galleon, thirteen Sickles and four Knuts for three kilos of potatoes, four carrots, one clove of garlic, and a loaf of bread. If I want to eat the soup in a bread bowl, similar to how denizens of Gellert Hill would, I have to pay more. This surprises a wand holder since she pays for one potato, one carrot, one clove of garlic, and a loaf for a party of meager twenty soup eaters! In other words, non-wand holders have to pay disproportionately more than wand holders. 

But for us non-wand holders there is also another disadvantage: we don’t earn as much. The neo-Creaturists say with a grin “spend less, live rationally and reproduce fewer offspring and you will have more money.” The Idea-centrists and Protectionists also think if they distribute educational leaflets among us, the said leaflets much like portkeys, transfer us to a new lifestyle and henceforth we become rich.

The Gringotts bank is the facade of goblin life. Only recently and with the goblin migration to the cities for work did the wizards realize not all of us are bankers or famous metalsmiths. The rest of us dig, crush, stock, carry, grind, size and build, play music, dance, and so on. This all happens behind the scenes of our prestigious bank. 

But why only metal work? Division of magic and its correspondence with division of creatures has its subsequences. We are slaves to our roles and conditions. Unlike wizards, we only study metal and mushroom lore. Unlike honorable Mr. Potter, we neither get letters for Hogwarts admissions nor start our childhood with an account to our name in Gringotts. 

“Don’t bring more goblins into this world and stop moving into our cities!” What wizards fail to see is that the more children to dig holes the more chance of earning money. It’s a primitive reaction to a primitive condition. We don’t have wands to duplicate food and we definitely do not have faith in the Ministry’s promises.

Economic life for magical creatures, including wizards, has been deteriorating since the Freedom act of 1999. No one thought of distributing wealth or equal opportunity for those who just joined society. Malfoys remained Malfoy and Bodrods, Bordrod. We all started with nothing but a label: free. More accurately, free from education, work and property. Before “freedom”, we were slaves but had food and a place to sleep. Now, we are free to choose which streets of your cities to sleep on.

And so the other half of our society, i.e. the wand holders, are burdened to pay for us newly freed. The whole society feels the burden. We all look for answers and aimlessly point at the most convenient enemy: elves, goblins, muggles, wizards... 

Is it a wonder the Voivode of Slovenia is gaining popularity among the desperate, the newly “freed”? He points to the right problems and fans the flames of hatred. He does not offer solutions, but he is good with slogans. 

**What are the problems of which the Productionists speak?**

Many years ago our ancestors were living in different conditions and those conditions led them to wars that ended in division of magical knowledge and its correspondence with a division of creatures. The last nail on this coffin was the Wand decree of 1631. The point is not to lament on that decision and those wars, but to see how this division weighs down on our society and creates a pyramid of pain. 

Half of our society is not allowed to use wands and the other half is oblivious to any other form of magic. The non-wand holders are born to a life of servitude. It is high time to abolish this pyramid of pain, which forces half of the society, including me, a humble shaft miner, to stagnate and not progress. 

The reflection of this system can be seen in our education system. The education of wizards is deemed more important than that of other creatures. The rest of us are brought up to learn the traditional crafts of our own creede. We do not have the opportunity to fulfill our potentials or become what we want. We are kept different by this inequality. 

True, by announcing freedom for all, for every creed and every creature, we have broken down the walls of inequality; but we kept the shackles on. We remain isolated from each other and live in islands in our new caste societies. Each creature to its own. 

And this inequality needs to be addressed, and redressed. 

I think keeping things as they are is rather a mental remedy and panacea for honorable Mr. Potter and his friends. They have fought a lot and lost many friends for this “stability”, and in contrary to what they preach, are tired of never ending wars. They have been in power for two decades now and they don’t have any viable, further plan but to keep things as they are. If anything, the neo-Creaturists are gaining more followers and becoming bolder in their regressive demands.

**What is the solution Productionists propose?**

The only hope we have is change. May this statement raise uproar! A radical Productionist change is a necessity to found our societies anew. 

It is time for a change that yesterday’s heroes cannot bring forth. We demand the abolishment of division of magic according to creatures. Either equality of opportunities for all or our world will periodically see Grindelwalds, Voldemorts, and Voivodes. 

No matter the intentions of honorable Mrs. Granger, we no longer can continue living under these conditions. The Voivode is a farce compared to Lord Voldemort, but if we don’t change our system for better, he will find enough accomplices in our society to change us for worse. 

We need to find a way to guarantee change to a less pyramidic society. We cannot only allow wands, education and high profile works to wizards. 

This “radical” idea has enemies among wand holders and non-wand holders alike. I would be surprised if wizards did not object to it. This demand means less privilege for wizards and more for former slaves. 

Nonetheless, talking to my fellow goblins, I know how the unprivileged are timid to demand change, too. For us, contrary to wizards, the problem is servitude mentality. Fear of losing the little freedom we have. And in a farcical turn, fear of losing our “creaturist characteristics”, our “charming identities”. 

Wealth redistribution, education reform and representing the marginalized in the Ministry is a good start. But, it shouldn’t stop there. It should lead to the abolishment of division of magic and its correspondence to creatures. 

We need to learn from each other, we need to study, we need to open the door of opportunities. 

We also demand an honourable and honest relation with muggles. They need to know we exist and we need to give back to them and not just take. 

I know that this idea has its objectors among the timid, but if we want true freedom, we need to break the pyramid that breeds evil.

We need to establish a dignified connection with muggles. Hide and seek has only made us ignorant of their progress. We used to live next to each other and learn from each other. Look at the items in our houses! Which ones do you think are our own invention? It is very pompous to think the muggles have nothing to offer.

Any creature seeks to improve its surroundings, even the humble Flobberworm. The evil is not in the offspring of Salazar Slytherin, it is in the Might pyramid. 

We must change or suffer a slow march to death. Let this plea wreak havoc and upheaval!

M. M.

Helsingfors

MMXX

* * *

References:

1) A. Goldstein, _An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of Affluence,_ London, MMXVII, Vol. 1, para. 178

2) S. Bones, _Six Years in Andes,_ Lima, MMV, p. 20

3) She uses pseudonyms since the law is after this group for their “illegal” use of wands. No wonder distribution of this pamphlet and other texts associated with creatures like my kind are regarded as agitation and are banned.

4) ibid, p. 73

5) ibid, p 100


End file.
